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In a significant development for Bangladesh cricket, Najmul Hossain Shanto has officially stepped down as the captain of the national team in the T20I format. This decision comes after a period of reflection and challenges faced during his tenure, marking a pivotal moment in the leadership dynamics of Bangladesh cricket.
Najmul Hossain Shanto steps down as the Bangladesh T20I captain
Shanto’s decision to resign from the captaincy was influenced by his desire to focus more on his performance as a player. Initially, he had planned to step down only after the T20 World Cup 2024, which took place in the West Indies and the USA. However, following discussions with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and his own assessment of the team’s needs, he opted to relinquish his leadership role across all formats. This change was confirmed in an interview with Cricbuzz by BCB President Faruque Ahmed, who noted that Shanto had communicated his intentions clearly, leading to an acceptance of his decision by the board.
“Shanto finally told us that he won’t lead in the T20Is and we accepted it but as we don’t have T20Is at the moment, we have time in hand and so we are not picking a new captain,” Ahmed said.
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Shanto’s performance as a skipper
During his captaincy, Shanto’s record was a mixed bag. He led Bangladesh in 24 T20I matches, achieving 10 victories. In ODIs, he secured four wins out of 11 matches and managed to win three out of ten Tests. Notably, his leadership saw Bangladesh claim a historic home victory against New Zealand in 2023 and two away wins against Pakistan. However, despite these achievements, Shanto’s batting performance suffered significantly during his captaincy. By stepping down, he aims to redirect his focus towards improving his batting form, which has been underwhelming lately.
New leadership dynamics in Bangladesh cricket
With Shanto stepping down, discussions about his replacement have gained momentum. Litton Das has emerged as a frontrunner for the T20I captaincy due to his successful leadership during recent series, including a clean sweep against the West Indies. The BCB is expected to announce a new captain soon, although they have indicated that there is no immediate rush since there are no upcoming T20I matches on the calendar.
However, Shanto is set to lead Bangladesh in the forthcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025. There had been rumors suggesting that Mehidy Hasan Miraz might take charge as captain after being appointed as the stand-in skipper for the Test and ODI series during the West Indies tour, where the regular captain was sidelined due to injury.
“If there is no injury issue Najmul will remain the captain in Test and ODIs and we have discussed it,” Ahmed added.
A glimpse into Shanto’s future
Despite stepping down from T20I captaincy, Shanto is likely to return as captain for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign. Bangladesh has been placed in Group A alongside formidable opponents such as India and Pakistan. The team’s first match will be against India in Dubai on February 20, 2025. As Shanto prepares for this challenge, it remains to be seen how he will balance his responsibilities as a player and leader.
